Don’t be so hard on yourself…
We’re in the middle of a pandemic; things aren’t the way you’re used to. I know there’s a lot of pressure to succeed and you may feel like your life depends on it, but be kind to yourself. Give yourself a break. Your life doesn’t depend on whether you get accepted to grad school or not, as much as it may feel like it. Be proud of yourself for working as hard as you can considering the circumstances. Know that your parents and friends love you and are proud of you no matter what. Remember that you’re still young and there’s an endless amount of time to achieve what you want to achieve. It’ll all work out in the end.
Step back from social media if it’s harming your mental health…
You’re constantly bombarded with images of people who seem to have things more worked out than you. People who you feel are more beautiful than you. Remember that social media is just a fragment of people’s real lives; in fact, most of it isn’t even real. Remember that you may never look like people on Instagram, and that’s okay. You’re beautiful as you are. You’re worthy, just as you are. It’s easy to get sucked into the constant flow of media on every different app, but please take a break if it’s not making you feel good. Change the people you follow to help uplift you, rather than hurt you.
Slow down, take a deep breath…
Life seems to be moving so quickly. When you’re going from doing one thing to the next, the days can pass you by without you even realizing it. Slow down sometimes. Give yourself time to rest. Take a breath and enjoy just that present moment. Try and do something you really love, and try not to think about the other more “productive” things you could be doing. Read a chapter of a book (that’s not for school). Go on a walk. Remember that you exist outside of being a productive person. You’re worthy of taking time just for yourself. Be selfish and say no to things if you need time alone. Self-care can be selfish.
Prioritize the people you love…
It’s so easy to feel disconnected from those closest to us when we’re unable to see them. Remind the people you love that you love them. Connect with someone you love who you haven’t spoken to in a while. Prioritizing the people you love also means prioritizing loving yourself. Don’t put that on the back burner. Remind yourself every day of one reason why you feel good about yourself. Loving yourself helps you love others wholeheartedly.